SpicyWebDesigners.com by Luc Arnold

Taddeo (Teddy) Zacchini is a graphic and user interface designer originally from Venice in Italy. He studied at ISIA in Urbino and now at IUAV University of Venice getting his education in graphic communications. Teddy has been designing for the web for the past 6 years. He does not consider himself a “Web Designer” because he came from a graphic design background and he is mainly concerned with interface design.

1. How did you get started in web design?

I always had a big passion for art and computer world, so it was a natural consequence to me to approach the web world rather soon.

I still remember my first web site, made using Dreamweaver, for my music band when I was at the high school! I could consider this as the starting spark of all my following experiences in Web Design.

2. When did you start designing websites?

I started to approach the web design when I was quite young, at the end of ’90s. With the passing of time I started to make some works for little customers as a freelance, so from there I started to work for little companies and to realize my first personal web site. That was the time that I really start to work in Web Design world. So I could answer that it is from 6 years that I designing Web.

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

I think that at the present time, in the Web world is happening the same thing that is taking place in all of the other expression’s forms: it’s naturally evolving. But his evolution is extremely rapid and dizzy! So I think that the biggest challenge for designers today it is to give into this evolution. To me it’s like a “creative gaming” and it’s the greatest aspect of this job! But I never forgive that the most important purpose it’s realize things that make more simple and pleasant the people’s living.

4. Why do you refer to yourself as a Front-end developer over calling yourself a web designer?  Is it a way to brand yourself to your clients?

I do not consider myself as a Web Designer, I came from a pure Graphic Design background and next I’m specialized in Interaction Design field, so in short, I’m a Graphic & UI Designer. Indeed my work is about the design of the interfaces, not necessarily website.

5. Where did you go to school and has it helped you become a better web designer/front-end developer?

My school’s background is mainly artistic kind: I passed through artistic school (high school), through graphic school (academy university), until the current university postgraduate in interaction design (view details>).

I have acquired the knowledge to be able to realize a complete graphical system, allowing me to apply all this knowledge to the front-end world (layouts, icons, typography…).

I also consider another important aspect in my training: for several years Internet has enabled me to renew my graphical knowledge, allowing me to reach new solutions that could fit the request of every user who navigates in the wonderful Web universe.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

I think that the Web evolves and increases very quickly, and the graphic communications made giant steps during these years.

As all the technologies, people needs time to comprehend this inside out.

I think that in all the last years the Web quality is considerably increased. About the future of modern web, I think that the key would be the simplicity!

So currently, the Designers have a lot of new resources and really good means to carry out their job, but I also think that at the same time there is the risk of a fall in quality of communication caused from the superficial knowledge in this field.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a website? Why are they your favorite tools?

My favorite tools are my inseparable Macbook pro, Illustrator, Fireworks Photoshop, Flash and Squarespace. I love Fireworks because it has a big versatility especially to design for screen and I love design layouts using CSS, especially when I use Squarespace.

To me is implied that in my job I use to try to obtain the best from the different applications!

David Salvatori is a 30 year old Web and 3D designer from Ancona, Italy. He originally got started in design back in 1992 as an aerosol artist and now he works part time for IKEA in Italy as a and web creative and “part” time as freelance web designer. David began designing for the web in 2002 using Action Scripting and says that in the first work that he product he wasn’t able to publish his work because he didn’t even have an internet connection at his home, at the time. His biggest skills are his abilities in 3D and motion design which you can see when you go to check out his portfolio but besides he definitely knows his way through websites as well.

1. How did you get started in web design?

I started doing design in 1992 when I did my first aerosol spray…Yes! I think everything come out from this time; web design is a consequence or another way to express yourself. A lot of aerosol artists that I knew are now very good web designers. From that time we learned skills about using fonts, proportions, styles, and messages and got really psyched everyday with breaking creativities. Ten years later, in 2002 after 3D and motion design, I approached to “timeline” Flash and in 2005 I started learning HTML.

2. When did you start designing websites?

I started in 2002 with Action Script. I remember that after I finished work on it I was not able to publish it (and honestly I didn’t even have an Internet connection at home).

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

1. Sitting and doing the job in 8 hours…
2. Having enough spare time to visit all the websites and have access to all the information I need to get inspired and improve my knowledge every day.
3. Spending my lunch break waiting until I get all the coding working just the way I want

4. Do you code on any of your web design projects? And if so, do you consider yourself a “Front-End Coder”? Why or Why Not?

The more important the project, the more I code better for the project until its 100% complete. I don’t consider myself a coder at all, however when Pv3d’s (Papervision 3D) scripts work it’s just amazing, wow! But coding is a necessity to present some visual aspects of a project, so I guess I am a bit of a “Front-End Coder”.

5. Where did you go to school and has it helped you become a better web designer?

In the 1990’s there weren’t any web design courses in Italy. I attended 2 university courses in communication and graphics but it didn’t help me a lot.

I consider myself as a “self-made” web designer. I learned my knowledge with e-learning and spending nights and days practicing everything that I could learn.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

Nowadays, the demand in web design has changed a lot and people have become more exigent and need web design services. People, everyday more addicted by web services and spend more time on web in general. Action Script 3 is strong…and the more time that passes the fewer people there are to create good products to satisfy the growing demand.

To the other side web markets like “Evanto” give you the tools for “one man show” freelancer web designers to improve in efficiency.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a website? Why are they your favorite tools?

There is no doubt that the best tools are my double 21’ Apple Monitors and a clean desktop! It’s not a matter of which application to use; the important thing is to have always an overall vision for the project. I like OSX CSSEdit, Flash and DW4’s new tabs workflow.

8. How did you get started working with 3D design and rendering?

Well, I started working with 3D design since I wasn’t a good figures drawer. So, with 3D design I can give life to all my creativity and necessities.

I started working with Cinema 4D years ago. I don’t remember the version well but I think it was Cinema 4D 6. Every day, I was impressed from all the applications that had a whole world simulation inside. I’m also impressed from what you can do with external engine rendering systems like “Vray”.

Federica Cau is a web designer from Italy. She did her first website back in 1998 which first started because of her passion for the internet and by 2001 she created her first personal website and has been going strong ever since. Federica says that she is her “worst critic” and she is frequently learning and challenging herself. She has been freelancing for two years and she does her own front-end coding on her website design projects.

1. How did you get started in web design?

Since when I did buy my first modem in 1998 I had a passion for internet, after high school I entered Foreign Languages University courses.

One day during a French class my professor asked me “What do you want to do after degree?” and I answer “I will be a Web Designer!” and her next question was “So why are you here then?” The next day I was already looking for a new course and I found out “Computing and Humanities” a brand new one, with classes of graphic, web design, multimedia etc. which is what I’ve been dreaming of.

2. When did you start designing websites?

My first web site was a personal page in 2001 showing every 10 minutes a picture taken from my webcam while I was studying, soooooo funny !

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

Being a designer means to challenge myself every day on everything and be critic even toward myself, a never ending challenge learning new things and also the only way to get better and better.

4. Do you code on any of your web design projects? And if so, do you consider yourself a “Front-End Coder”? Why or Why Not?

Yes, I do create my sites all alone, using PSPad, valid XHTML/CSS, JavaScript, Flash/ActionScript and PHP and that’s way I say my sites are “handcrafted” and I can be defined a “Front-End Coder” for sure , I do backend coding too.

To follow the whole site creation workflow all alone, from concept to coding, allows me to refine it completely on client’s needs.

5. Where did you go to school and has it helped you become a better web designer?

As said before I took a degree in Computing and Humanities at Pisa (Italy) University and that helped me much for sure, giving to me the basics on design, graphic, coding, typography etc.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

I started working seriously as a freelance since 2 years now after my degree so it’s quite early for me to give an opinion on the argument.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a website? Why are they your favorite tools?

Photoshop is my second love after my iMac 24″.

I use Photoshop in the concept design phase down to the graphic slicing, and nothing compares to Photoshop as we know.

8. How did you get started working with 3D design and rendering?

All started from my passion for Pixar! I used Maya for the first time in 2002 as a hobby.

After reading hundreds of books and doing a lot of tutorials I started doing small demos and internal renderings.

At the moment I have a few storyboards ready and I am waiting to have a few spare minutes to create some 3D short movies.

Michela Chiucini is a web designer from Tuscany in Italy. She first started designing websites about 5 years ago in 2003 and has been hooked ever since. She has her degree in Computer Science but she still considers herself “self-taught” when it comes to web design. Besides designing in Photoshop and Illustrator she also codes using a variety of languages including PHP, JavaScript and ActionScript.

1. How did you first get started in web design?

I started developing interfaces for intranet applications. Then some clients approached me for a website and after trying this experience, I decided to make of web design my job.

2. When did you design your first website?

I designed my first web site in 2003…just for fun

3. What did you study in school (College/University)? Do you feel it helped you to become a better designer?

I have a Degree in Computer Science. Even if I’m definitely self-taught, of course my background school helped me.

At the University, I attended to a course about Web Interfaces and my stage has been about it. Sincerely, I think this helped me because it taught me to build simple interfaces and allowed me to learn faster about new technologies and new software features.

4. What are some of your favourite tool to use when designing for the web?

I use very often Photoshop, but also Illustrator. My favourite tool to code is Dreamweaver but occasionally I can use also other html editors.

5. What is the biggest challenge that you face as a web designer?

There are two big challenges for me as web designer. One of them is to obtain the perfect creation as required by the client.

I always try to choose the most precise style which matches the type of work my customers are carrying out in their particular field. Meanwhile I try to bring my own taste

in what I do.

The second challenge is to learn something new every day and use the latest creative technologies with awareness of the latest web Standards.

6. Do you do freelance web design? If so, do you do it on a full-time or part-time basis?

Yes I do. Of course I do it on a full time basis and it couldn’t be different to keep a quality work with growing new technologies.

7. Do you ever do any coding for the front end of a website?  If so, what languages do you use?  How long have you been doing this for?

I managed the coding for most of websites I built.

My favourite language is certainly PHP, but I use also JavaScript and some Actionscript if required. Anyway, for big projects I have some developers as partners.

It’s hard to say because I did it in my free time, sometimes I worked on it all day long and sometimes I stayed away from it entire weeks; anyway the idea came in September and the site has been published at the beginning of January.

Claudio Cugia is a web designer from Venezia, Italy. He’s been designing websites for almost the last 10 years (since 1999) and since then he’s worked as an employee and a freelancer at various points in his career. He is self-taught because when he started back in the day no schools taught web design so he learned as much as he could on his own but he still educates himself using RSS feeds and buying the occasional book.

1. When did you design your first website?

Back in 1999, almost ten years ago! It was my personal website where I showcased all the activities I was into such as music, guitar and foreign languages; I clearly remember this big flashy intro with a morphing effect done with Flash4 maybe, and a cool piece of slide guitar.

2. How long have you been designing websites for?

I’ve been designing websites for almost ten years now. I worked both as an employee and a freelancer.

3. Are you a self-taught or formally educated web designer?

I am definitely self-taught. When I started out there were no schools to teach our beautiful job so I tried and learn as much as possible ‘on the road’ – over the internet; I surf a lot to see the latest trends, I have countless RSS feeds and almost 2000+ bookmarks on delicious. I seldom buy IT books (I
care for the environment), actually the last one was ‘learning as3′ , a tough one.

4. What do you think is the most important skill that every web designer
needs to have?

One side is there is the ability to synthesize and understand the customer’s needs; on the other, the capacity to accomplish this task with the beauty of design. Technically I’d say the ability to know what kind of
technology fits best a website.

5. What is the most challenging problem you face as a web designer?

It has a lot to do with technical issues; in particular a lot of time is spent trying to make rendering the website correctly in IE6. It’s so frustrating. Lately I’ve been using a JavaScript library (ie7.js -
http://code.google.com/p/ie7-js/) than can almost do the dirty job for you.  All major browsers should comply with standards!

6. What is the most important technology that you use to design websites?

To me usability and standard compliance come first, so css and hand-coded html are a must. On a regular basis I use php and jquery a lot. Flash has still its own place but less now; I use it for banners or video streaming or when a client claims he can’t live without a flash based website. Optimizing websites for the iPhone is one of the New Year’s resolutions.

7. How do you usually price out the web design work that you do for
clients?

I always work on a time schedule, time is money of course – generally a good website design is the first step of a lasting customer relationship.